Sewer Update September 2007
In February members of the VCCI Sewer Committee met with the Water Authority and the County Commissioners an agreement was made to have a detailed engineering plan developed for the VCCI.
In subsequent meetings with the Commissioners we have proposed a construction plan which will allow the majority of residents to tie into the sewers but allow the few, who aren’t ready, the option not to tie in. The commissioners feel the plan is very workable.
It appears that the “fly in the ointment” is the EPD (our friendly State Environmental Protection Department). The EPD allows the water authority a certain amount of water treatment capacity. The authority has 60,000 customers, of which only 20,000 are on sewer (using water treatment). If the water authority sewered the entire 40,000 customers that are currently not sewered, they would use up all their allowable water treatment capacity. That would leave No development capacity for new construction. The Water Authority has been trying to get the EPD to give them capacity credits for adding existing customers to the water treatment system. There has been no positive response from the EPD.
Our project is competing with some large and expensive development; we need to become visible on the county’s radar.
Now is the time to exert pressure on our elected representatives. Karen Mahurin, our commissioner, has been working with us and is supportive of our desire for a sewer. Her suggestion is to email those listed below.
Please Email your desires to both:
Commissioner
Karen Mahurin: kmahurin@cherokeega.com
County Manager
Jerry Cooper: jcooper@cherokeega.com
We have had 2 petition drives since 2000 and both times the interest has been high. This is the time to reinforce with the county our desire for a sewer system.
Please Email your comments. Today!
To: Karen and Jerry
The Preliminary Plan
The basic points of the plan are as follows:
1. The ability not to tie in if so desired.
2. To finance the project thru a special real estate tax assessment.
This special assessment will be specific for each property owner and will not change as property assessments change.
3. Special discounted tap fee from Cherokee Water Authority for tying into the system.
4. Creation of a “Sewer Owners Association” for pre-funded long term maintenance of each grinder pump.
5. The system is paid off in 20 years.
Based on current estimates this plan should cost approximately $ 50 to $60 per month per house.
Benefits of this plan:
1. No upfront cost to homeowner
2. All costs are tax deductible
3. 20 year financing at the best possible rate.
4. No out of pocket expense for pump maintenance.
Another plan that has been proposed is to have the Water Authority collect monthly for the development cost and a monthly maintenance contract for each pump.
We feel this plan would be more expensive on a monthly basis and would have an unlimited life.